Best Self-Hosted RSS Readers in 2026

The Short Answer

FreshRSS is the best self-hosted RSS reader for most people. It has the broadest feature set, the most active community, excellent mobile app support, and runs on minimal resources. Miniflux is the better choice if you prefer a deliberately minimal interface and want a reader that stays out of your way.

Updated March 2026: Verified with latest Docker images and configurations.

Use Case	Best Choice	Why
Best overall	FreshRSS	Feature-rich, great mobile support, active community
Best minimalist	Miniflux	Clean interface, fast, low resource usage
Best for power users	Tiny Tiny RSS	Plugins, filters, highly configurable

What to Look For in a Self-Hosted RSS Reader

Before comparing the three main options, here’s what actually matters when choosing a self-hosted feed reader:

• Mobile app support — You’ll read most feeds on your phone. The reader needs either a responsive web UI or compatible mobile apps (Fever API, Google Reader API).
• Feed refresh speed — How quickly does it check for new articles? Can you configure per-feed intervals?
• Search — Full-text search across all articles is essential once you’re following 50+ feeds.
• OPML import/export — Moving between readers should be painless.
• Resource usage — RSS readers run 24/7. A reader that uses 500 MB of RAM for 100 feeds is wasteful.

FreshRSS — Best Overall

FreshRSS hits the sweet spot between features and simplicity. It supports the Google Reader API and Fever API, which means it works with virtually every mobile RSS app: Reeder, NetNewsWire, FeedMe, Read You, and many more. The web interface is responsive and usable on mobile, but the native app integrations are the real draw.

Feed management is thorough — you get categories, tags, favorites, labels, and a powerful filter system for auto-marking or auto-removing articles based on rules. There’s a built-in web scraping mode for feeds that only provide summaries, full-text search, keyboard shortcuts, and extension support.

On the resource side, FreshRSS uses SQLite by default (or MySQL/PostgreSQL for larger installations) and idles at around 20-30 MB of RAM. It can comfortably handle 500+ feeds on a Raspberry Pi.

Pros:

• Google Reader API and Fever API — works with all major mobile apps
• Extensions system for custom functionality
• Web scraping for partial-content feeds
• Multi-user support
• SQLite default — no external database needed
• Active development and large community

Cons:

• PHP-based — some users prefer Go or Python backends
• UI looks dated compared to Miniflux’s clean design
• Extension quality varies

Docker Compose:

services:
  freshrss:
    image: freshrss/freshrss:1.28.1
    container_name: freshrss
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    volumes:
      - freshrss-data:/var/www/FreshRSS/data
      - freshrss-extensions:/var/www/FreshRSS/extensions
    environment:
      - TZ=America/New_York  # Set your timezone
      - CRON_MIN=2,32        # Feed refresh schedule (every 30 min)
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  freshrss-data:
  freshrss-extensions:

Resources: ~20 MB RAM idle, ~50 MB under refresh. Minimal CPU. ~100 MB disk for the app.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host FreshRSS]

Miniflux — Best Minimalist Reader

Miniflux takes the opposite philosophy from FreshRSS: fewer features, cleaner execution. The entire application is a single Go binary with a PostgreSQL database. The UI is intentionally spartan — a list of feeds, a list of articles, and a reading view. No widgets, no social features, no theme marketplace.

This minimalism is Miniflux’s strength. The interface loads instantly, keyboard navigation covers every action, and there’s nothing to distract from reading. It supports the Fever API and Google Reader API for mobile apps, has built-in content scraping, and offers a full REST API for custom integrations.

Miniflux requires PostgreSQL (no SQLite option), which adds a dependency but delivers faster full-text search on large article databases.

Pros:

• Extremely fast — single Go binary, minimal overhead
• Clean, distraction-free reading experience
• Full keyboard navigation
• Fever API and Google Reader API support
• Content scraping for partial feeds
• Built-in integration with services like Pinboard, Wallabag, Linkding

Cons:

• Requires PostgreSQL — no SQLite option
• Limited customization — intentionally minimal
• No extension/plugin system
• Single-user focus (multi-user works but isn’t the priority)

Docker Compose:

services:
  miniflux:
    image: miniflux/miniflux:2.2.18
    container_name: miniflux
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    environment:
      - DATABASE_URL=postgres://miniflux:secret@miniflux-db/miniflux?sslmode=disable
      - RUN_MIGRATIONS=1
      - CREATE_ADMIN=1
      - ADMIN_USERNAME=admin       # Change this
      - ADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme    # Change this — use a strong password
    depends_on:
      miniflux-db:
        condition: service_healthy
    restart: unless-stopped

  miniflux-db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    container_name: miniflux-db
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=miniflux
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=secret   # Match DATABASE_URL above
      - POSTGRES_DB=miniflux
    volumes:
      - miniflux-db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-U", "miniflux"]
      interval: 10s
      start_period: 30s
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  miniflux-db:

Resources: ~15 MB RAM for the app (plus ~50 MB for PostgreSQL). Minimal CPU.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Miniflux]

Tiny Tiny RSS — Most Configurable

Tiny Tiny RSS (tt-rss) is the oldest and most feature-rich self-hosted RSS reader. It has a plugin system, per-feed settings, complex filter rules with regex support, a full API, and an Android app. The interface resembles a traditional email client — three-pane layout with a feed tree, article list, and reading pane.

The project is maintained primarily by one developer (Andrew Dolgov), who is famously opinionated about feature requests. This means tt-rss is stable and well-maintained but evolves slowly and on the maintainer’s terms. The community contributes plugins rather than core features.

tt-rss requires PostgreSQL (MySQL support was dropped years ago). The official Docker setup uses its own custom approach with a separate updater container.

Pros:

• Most feature-rich — plugins, filters, labels, scores
• Powerful filter system with regex support
• Three-pane layout familiar to email users
• Official Android app
• Mature and stable codebase
• Sharing and note features

Cons:

• PHP-based — heavier than Miniflux
• Official Docker setup uses a custom approach (not standard Compose patterns)
• Community can be unwelcoming to newcomers
• UI feels dated
• PostgreSQL required (no SQLite)

Docker Compose:

services:
  tt-rss:
    # TT-RSS uses rolling releases — no versioned Docker tags published
    image: cthulhoo/ttrss-fpm-pgsql-static:latest
    container_name: tt-rss
    environment:
      - TTRSS_DB_TYPE=pgsql
      - TTRSS_DB_HOST=tt-rss-db
      - TTRSS_DB_NAME=ttrss
      - TTRSS_DB_USER=ttrss
      - TTRSS_DB_PASS=changeme         # Change this
      - TTRSS_SELF_URL_PATH=http://localhost:8280/tt-rss
    volumes:
      - ttrss-html:/var/www/html
    depends_on:
      - tt-rss-db
    restart: unless-stopped

  tt-rss-web:
    # Rolling release — :latest is the only option
    image: cthulhoo/ttrss-web-nginx:latest
    container_name: tt-rss-web
    ports:
      - "8280:80"
    volumes:
      - ttrss-html:/var/www/html:ro
    depends_on:
      - tt-rss
    restart: unless-stopped

  tt-rss-updater:
    # Same rolling-release image as tt-rss
    image: cthulhoo/ttrss-fpm-pgsql-static:latest
    container_name: tt-rss-updater
    environment:
      - TTRSS_DB_TYPE=pgsql
      - TTRSS_DB_HOST=tt-rss-db
      - TTRSS_DB_NAME=ttrss
      - TTRSS_DB_USER=ttrss
      - TTRSS_DB_PASS=changeme         # Match above
    volumes:
      - ttrss-html:/var/www/html
    command: /opt/tt-rss/updater.sh
    depends_on:
      - tt-rss
    restart: unless-stopped

  tt-rss-db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    container_name: tt-rss-db
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=ttrss
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=changeme     # Match TTRSS_DB_PASS above
      - POSTGRES_DB=ttrss
    volumes:
      - ttrss-db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  ttrss-html:
  ttrss-db:

Resources: ~80 MB RAM total (PHP-FPM + Nginx + updater + PostgreSQL). Moderate CPU during feed updates.

[Read our full guide: How to Self-Host Tiny Tiny RSS]

Full Comparison

Feature	FreshRSS	Miniflux	Tiny Tiny RSS
Language	PHP	Go	PHP
Database	SQLite / MySQL / PostgreSQL	PostgreSQL only	PostgreSQL only
Google Reader API	Yes	Yes	No (Fever only)
Fever API	Yes	Yes	Via plugin
Mobile apps	Many (via API)	Many (via API)	Official Android app
Web UI mobile support	Responsive	Responsive	Limited
Plugin/extension system	Yes	No	Yes
Content scraping	Yes	Yes	Via plugin
Full-text search	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multi-user	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keyboard shortcuts	Yes	Extensive	Yes
RAM usage (idle)	~20 MB	~15 MB (+50 MB PG)	~80 MB total
Docker containers	1	2 (app + PG)	4 (app + web + updater + PG)
Active development	Very active	Active	Active (single maintainer)
License	AGPL-3.0	Apache 2.0	GPL-3.0

The Verdict

FreshRSS is the best choice for most self-hosters. It runs on SQLite (no external database), works with every major mobile RSS app, and has the most active community. Set it up, import your OPML file, and you’re reading feeds within five minutes.

Miniflux is better if you value speed and simplicity over features. It’s the fastest reader, has the cleanest interface, and its Go backend is genuinely lighter than PHP. You’ll need PostgreSQL, but in exchange you get excellent full-text search performance.

Tiny Tiny RSS is the power user’s choice — but only if you’re comfortable with its community dynamics and the more complex Docker setup. The plugin ecosystem and filter system are unmatched, but the learning curve is steeper than either alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I follow YouTube channels and podcasts via RSS?

Yes. YouTube channels have RSS feeds at https://www.youtube.com/feeds/videos.xml?channel_id=CHANNEL_ID. All three readers support this natively. For podcasts, most podcast apps publish RSS feeds directly — add the feed URL to your reader. FreshRSS handles multimedia feeds best with its built-in audio/video player.

How do I import feeds from Feedly or another reader?

Export your feeds as an OPML file from your current reader (all major readers support OPML export). Then import the OPML file into FreshRSS, Miniflux, or Tiny Tiny RSS — all support OPML import from the settings page. Your folder structure and feed URLs are preserved.

Which reader uses the least resources?

Miniflux. It is a single Go binary with PostgreSQL, using ~50-80 MB of RAM. FreshRSS uses ~100-150 MB (PHP + Apache/nginx). Tiny Tiny RSS uses ~150-200 MB (PHP + PostgreSQL). For a VPS with limited RAM, Miniflux is the lightest option by a significant margin.

Can I read full articles instead of just excerpts?

FreshRSS has a built-in full-text content extraction feature that fetches the complete article from the source website, even when the RSS feed only provides a summary or excerpt. Tiny Tiny RSS supports this via the af_readability plugin. Miniflux has a built-in scraper that can fetch full content. All three can override truncated feeds.

Is there a mobile app?

All three readers support the Fever API or Google Reader API, which means they work with popular mobile RSS apps like Reeder (iOS), NetNewsWire (iOS/macOS), and FeedMe (Android). Miniflux also has a responsive web UI that works well on mobile browsers. FreshRSS supports the Google Reader API for the widest mobile app compatibility.

How many feeds can a self-hosted reader handle?

Easily thousands. FreshRSS and Miniflux can handle 500+ feeds with 100,000+ articles without performance issues on modest hardware. The main bottleneck is feed refresh — fetching 500 feeds takes a few minutes depending on your internet speed. All three readers support configurable refresh intervals (5 minutes to 24 hours per feed).

Related

• Self-Hosted Alternatives to Google Reader
• How to Self-Host FreshRSS
• How to Self-Host Miniflux
• How to Self-Host Tiny Tiny RSS
• FreshRSS vs Miniflux
• FreshRSS vs Tiny Tiny RSS
• Miniflux vs Tiny Tiny RSS
• Replace Feedly
• Docker Compose Basics
• Reverse Proxy Setup
• Getting Started with Self-Hosting